Legislative Affairs
Learn how ATD Legislative Affairs protects and promotes franchised auto and truck dealerships’ interests before Congress.
Legislative Priorities
The REPAIR Act (H.R. 1566/S. 1379) is based on the false premise that independent repairers do not have the same access to the information and tools necessary to repair vehicles as franchised dealers. The language of the REPAIR Act reveals that its true purpose is not to improve vehicle repair options. Instead, the bill expands access to sensitive driver and vehicle data, enables the reverse engineering of OEM parts, and advances policies that discourages the use of original, genuine replacement parts. These provisions would primarily benefit insurers by lowering claim costs paid to consumers for vehicle repairs, while raising significant concerns about privacy, safety, and consumer choice.
H.R. 7389, which passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 48-1, is expected to be added as the auto safety title of the surface transportation bill, the “Build America 250 Act” (H.R. 8870), which could be considered by the full House this summer. Members of Congress are urged to retain the House committee-passed “REPAIR Act” language in H.R. 7389 and reject efforts to expand the legislation beyond its current scope.
The outdated 12% federal excise tax (FET) on new heavy-duty trucks and trailers is a major barrier to fleet turnover and modernization. First enacted in 1917 to help fund World War I, the tax routinely adds $22,000 or more to a new heavy-duty diesel truck, and $50,000 to an electric or hydrogen fuel-cell truck. New federal emissions and fuel economy mandates have added nearly $40,000 more to the cost of a truck. New trucks have made significant environmental gains, such as reducing nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions by at least 98%. The FET remains a costly barrier to the purchase of new trucks equipped with the latest environmental technologies. With 22% of the Class 8 trucks on the road today using pre-2010 engines, FET repeal would immediately accelerate fleet turnover and result in major safety and environmental benefits. Members of Congress are urged to cosponsor H.R. 2424/S. 4657 to incentivize the replacement of older trucks with newer, safer, and cleaner trucks.
Law enforcement groups support federal legislation, the PART Act, to give them the tools to fight the theft of emissions control devices, which increased significantly during the pandemic and remains a national problem. There is a lucrative market for stolen catalytic converters since they are hard to trace, and these thefts cost both businesses and vehicle owners millions of dollars. Diesel trucks are also vulnerable to theft of their emissions control devices, specifically diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs). While diesel trucks do not use catalytic converters, their DPFs and DOCs contain the same precious metals that attract thieves. Because this crime frequently involves trafficking stolen parts across state lines, a federal framework is needed to aid local law enforcement. ATD and other organizations sent a letter supporting passage of the PART Act (H.R. 5221/S. 2238), which would require emissions control devices to be traceable on new vehicles. The bill also establishes a federal penalty for stealing, selling, trafficking, or knowingly buying stolen emission control devices. On Feb. 10, the House Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee forwarded H.R. 5221 to the Energy and Commerce Committee by voice vote. Members of Congress are urged to cosponsor and pass strong catalytic converter anti-theft legislation, the PART Act (H.R. 5221/S. 2238), that includes vehicle tracing and record keeping transparency to effectively dismantle the black market.
Additional Legislative Issues
NADA Legislative Affairs Staff
About Legislative Affairs
ATD Legislative Affairs protects and promotes franchised truck dealerships' interests before Congress and the federal agencies. We track the latest legislation affecting the industry, including tax policy, vehicle commerce, fuel economy and the environment, and advocate on our member dealers' behalf.
